The Chronicle
by StangeFasination
Summary: After the war, Ares disappears for one year until he shows up in the international hunt for the red swordsman. Where does he go during this time? What about Baroona?
1. Chapter 1

He woke to the clatter of pots, pans, and the general cacophony of the best restaurant in town drifting up to his room. Sitting up, he rubbed the sleep from his eyes as a child half his age. He glanced around the room, first at the door and windows, then for his possessions. Eagle eyes trained over a large worn rug, a bedside table, and an upright closet. The decorations were sparse; a small perch and a solitary picture frame reflecting the menacing starlight. He already knew that he was alone. His attention returned to the noise as he closed his eyes to enhance his hearing.

Men blew their lungs, slamming down their mugs after inhaling draughts by the gallon. They shouted and taunted each other in merrymaking. The owner, Old Ria, and her waitresses buzzed about, nimbly skipping over extended feet and luggage with a practiced air. Not a drop of soup was spilled. Cooks yowled at each other from their busy stations in the kitchen with no chance of reprieve. The stove-warmed stuffiness spiked their tempers. Mothers tried to placate the few wailing children and grizzled soldiers sat in corners, reminiscing over the chatter and banter flung back and forth throughout the cozy den. Every seat in the front counter was full but one.

Slowly, Ares opened his eyes as the restaurant died off into silence within seconds of a clang. It was the unmistakable timber of steel on steel. He groaned and slumped back under the covers with a flourish. He peeked at the doorway from under his arm as the mute cessation continued.

He shoved the covers back with a lazy sigh.

_Hah...Another fight...Can't a guy just sleep in and wake up in the sun...err...moon to a big bowl of jajangmyun(1) and walk around peacefully...where'd Emergency Food go? That disobedient crow! I'll cook him for dinner tonight, that's what I'll d-_

His face turned blank as he slowly fastened a thin scabbard to his waist. A slight click signified its security and he jerked, as though from a trance.

_That's what I'll do. Now where'd my other boot go...? .Ah, there it is!_

His face lit up with a smile as he skipped a couple of steps and hopped down the rest of them to the open first floor. The door burst open with a boisterous "A! Why's it so noisy down here?"

Pine needles poked at him as he sat at the remaining bench stool, passing two bulky men. One had stood over the other and each were frozen mid-lurch, swords crossed across the intrusive table. The bald, pale man and the darker long-haired soldier's reddened arms showed obvious signs of grappling.

"Ares! You're up!" Melina spluttered from a crowd several feet away, "I suppose you'll be wanting your usual", she muttered more to herself than to him as he flashed a smile. She resumed her busing duties, silently encouraging the rest of them to continue with their meals.

Instead, eyes trained on Ares as he shifted lazily, some more knowing than others.

"Oi, ajusshi-deul*, you might want to sit." Ares said lightly. He didn't look up from squinting at the cup set before him.

The cropped man glared threateningly at Ares' back.

"Hey, punk, whaddy-"

There was a ruffle and the clunk of a metal belt on wood. Rough cloth slid down to reveal brightly colored underpants. With a dumbfounded expression, his nemesis sat quickly lest he be victimized as well.

The tavern was quiet but then there was a snicker. Then another. And so it escalated into full-blown laughter. Life returned full blast as many guffawed, falling off benches and chairs.

"You know, I tried to warn you. You should be thanking me, really, but I'm such a great guy that I'm gonna let you go now, Mr. Muscle. I just woke up.", the young man sang.

The pant-less muscleman's head slowly became the color of his undergarments as he shuffled around awkwardly, trying to get out of the table. His feet were caught, unable to maneuver around the bench with pants holding them together at the ankles. He was too muscled to slip out easily.

Ares downed the rest of his glass as the newly dubbed Mr. Muscle began shouting threats at him. He shoved his hands in his pockets, drawing forth a few coins that clattered on the countertop.

"I'll be going now! See you later, Auntie Ria!" He raised a hand behind him in salute as he sauntered out of the lounge.

Ria bustled out the door behind him, but was caught up in a pool of children running in the opposite direction.

"Ares!" she hollered, "You just got back early today after disappearing to Kiron knows where for a while! Where are you going? You seemed kind of hurt! Ares!"

The youth in question yawned again. A small, black bird settled on his head.

"There you are, Emergency Food! Where you been? Well, you're just in time. We've got an old friend to visit. Hehe. I wonder what-" he paused as the bird pecked him.

"Hey! Bad Emer! How dare you peck your master, you lazy bird! Am I food? My hair's yellow, but that doesn't mean that it's corn or some other bird food!"

Emergency Food did his best to emulate a woodpecker, err, cornpecker.

"Hey", Ares waved his hands wildly around his head and turned around.

His pout split into a grin.

"Would you look at that? I don't have to look after all! Did you get taller? You look taller, M-"

*ajusshi-old guy, around married age

*lit. black bean noodles. Yummy.

(A/N): I haven't decided whether to set this after the series or during the one year that Ares goes missing before the searching for the red eye's swordsman part. Hmmm...What do you think? Reviews!


	2. Chapter 2

(A/N): I've decided. This is going to be in the future and transition back and forth from past to present...err, future. I will probably include random snippets of Kaiser, Baroona, Mickey, Douglas, Ariadine, Clara, Kiron, Icarus, and of course, our titular Ares. I was mapping out the characters and at least half the cast is dead 0_0...

"Mickey! Douglas!"

Ares ran up and bear hugged them simultaneously. Douglas spluttered, choking on his drink while Mickey exchanged looks with him and sighed. Mickey hugged him back, and Ares let them go.

"It's great to see you, too, hyung!"

"How've you been Mickey? I heard you been busy with a lady?", Ares mooned, his nostrils.

Douglas gave a great burst of laughter, grabbing Ares around the shoulders. "AREES", he yelled.

.

Before long, the trio could be found strolling through the town. They frolicked about with all the vigor of little children. Ares, especially, constantly shoved Douglas over or messed up Mickey's hat as they ambled about aimlessly. They passed into the town plaza, stopping at the grand centerpiece; a water fountain. The day was fading.

"Douglas, it's not healthy to drink! But you're fun when you drink. Your face looks real funny," he guffawed.

Ares grabbed Douglas' ever present bottle and held it away from him.

"**I!**", Douglas proclaimed with a stab of the air, "am drinkin'! B'cause **I** am feelin' RESSLESS!" He finished with a kick.

"ARES! ARRRES AREEEEEEES ARESSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSS. WHEN ARE YOU GONNA MAKE ME THE CAPTAIN OF THE TEMPLE? WHEN YOU GUNNA TELL ME WHERE BAROONA, THAT MOONA IS!"

"Hey, Emergency Food's back! Let's see if he got any money."

Mickey sighed as he watched Douglas run after Ares who in turn, ran after the cute crow, burdened with the spoils of panhandling.

Kicking a rock aside, his lips split into a grin as he ran after them as well.

"_Heh-Baroona, that bastard had a daughter hidden away." _

Baroona's "daughter" sulked as she kicked some nearby dust.

"Clara?...Clara! Clara, where are you?"

The girl in question looked up from behind a bush. Clara patted her hands off and calmly made her way out of the greenhouse. Outside, Helena rushed frantically, searching for her self-imposed charge.

Clara snuck up behind her, an impressive feat for Helena's trained instincts. Helena took one look at Clara and gave a shriek.

"Your clothes are all torn! It's nice to be out, but try to maintain yourself! I feel we might have to move a second seamstress onto the grounds. I'm not sure how much more patience the cleaning staff has."

"Calm down, Helena. I'll just sew the clothes up myself. I did live off of housework, before, you know."

_Before. That damned house... that damned Baroona..._

"Well, yes, but before, you were alone. Now, you have servants and people working under you!"

Clara gave Helena an incisive stare. "You know, lately, you've been really hyped about being a little princess. You aren't the type to coddle someone like me. What's going on?"

"What? Clara, you're being silly. Come on, we're getting you washed up", Helena turned dismissively, but Clara decided that she didn't like it at all.

She grabbed her surrogate aunt's legs and sat down, refusing to budge an inch from her roost.

She remained passive as Helena fumbled through her words, chattering uncharacteristically about the tailor and how pretty the recent fashions were. The whole time, she maintained her gaze on the back of Helena's unrepentant head.

She could feel it. Helena would crack soon. Just stare a bit more...unnerve her...she's being too obvious...

"YOHAVASUIT'R!"

Once Helena stilled, there was no distraction to push this new information off on. Clara blinked. Helena palmed her face and began to lead her little girl inside.

"You understand that Ariadine's always had a position of importance. She has passed her transitional period for quite some time now, and Ares has already claimed her, but, now it is your turn to be introduced to high society. Word of you somehow spread. It seems that some nobleman's son has taken interest in you. It's a good opportunity. You could find a partner in a mutually beneficial relationship and have a concrete tie to someone, you could have a family of your own an-"

Clara mutely followed Helena limply, having filtered out her voice. Her mind wandered as her feet moved.

_...a suitor_?

A silver-haired old man rambled and raved at the tavern. The sympathetic, but tired barkeep nodded his head along, grunting at all the wrong times. The elder took no notice and continued to talk over the counter, finishing up the remains of his booze and dinner.

The door jingled as a newcomer entered the cozy establishment.

A dark-haired young man slumped against a seat. His face was shadowed in the light of dusk. Taking a deep drag of his cigarette, he sank further into the bar.

"_Baroona! I...I killed Mikael! I avenged our mercenary corps, but I'm not happy at all!", Ares broke off into sobs. "That bastard said wanted to die by my hands. He had no intention of killing me from the start. *sob* I shouldn't cry...only women cry, so why aren't my tears stopping."_

He blew out a thin strem of smoke.

"_It's not your fault, it's just that you had only bad luck!...Only bad luck..."_

A/N: I love Kaiser too much to keep him dead. I wish I could bring back Mikael, but that wouldn't work. I think. T_T Mikaeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeel. I'm gonna stick with Temple. Tample makes me thing of tampons and snapple.


End file.
